2010 Renault Megane Reviews

Summary:

Great looks and space!

Faults:

It needs a front shock. The dealer is going to give me a call when it's in; noticed at a service.

Fake leather cracks appearing in the front driver's seat.

General Comments:

This car's a company car and normally travels short journeys around town, so it suffers! Gets a hard life! Through the gears all the time, up and down the rev ranges, with a boot full of equipment... and it does it well!

Never really complains and still feels sharp! The leather is cracking on the driver's seat and the steering wheel looks worn, but generally it's OK.

The engine is the 106 dCi 1.5, which is not as good as the 110 dCi 1.5; it has a slight flat spot and loses turbo pressure, but it's better on the open road.

The best thing about this car is the spec, space, and the way it looks!

It has a really big boot; much bigger than the Volvo V50s we also use.

Summary:

Faults:

In the 6 months I've owned it, nothing really has gone wrong. There is a slight vibration in the steering wheel, but took it to Renault, and they said it is normal.

General Comments:

The main negative points are the reduced rear visibility and the hard ride. This is a very difficult car to park in reverse. IN my case this may be related to never having owned an estate car before, but it seems to me function was seriously compromised for aesthetics. It may be worth it to get the parking sensors, which I didn't.

The suspension is hard. I drive a lot in Cork, where the roads are complete garbage and full of pot holes, and I feel every single one of them. It is a lot more German feeling than French. On good roads it feels fine, and I quite like the handling of it.

My engine is the 86bhp, which is not a lot of power for a car this weight. Still, it actually behaves fine if you are concerned with fuel efficiency over speed or acceleration. I can do 4.4 to 5.0 liters/100Km. I think it is between 52 to 60 mpg. At motorway speed the consumption rises, so it would probably be advisable to get the 6 speed version instead if you do a lot of motorways. Like all diesels, it sometimes stalls a bit when accelerating fast from standstill, so you really need to watch the gears carefully to avoid this. With heavy loads, the car does feel underpowered.

The driving position adjustment is excellent. It is the first time I can get in and out of the car without touching the steering wheel. I am 1m85 cm (6'2 I think), but I have long legs. Seats are comfortable, and mine has the driver sport seat, with extra lumbar adjustment, which I find a bit inconsequential anyway.

My model does not have a DPF, but newer ones do.

The Arkamis sound system is actually quite decent, if a little underpowered. The 2006 Citroen C3 HDI XTR I had previously had a better sound system though. The Bluetooth headset functionality works flawlessly.

The interior is decent quality, with plenty of soft plastics and generally solid. It has been rattle free so far, despite the terrible roads.

All in all, I am happy with it. The 5 year warranty should cover me against any possible reliability issues.